Ecomapping is a simple, cheap and innovative tool to analyse and manage the environmental performance of SMEs both in the production and the service sector. The method demonstrates how easy it can be to implement basic environmental management at SMEs with the help of a simple map of the site and two pens of the colours red and green.

Choosing this method to get information on the subject of the project (environmental needs and suppliers of the region’s business sector) was a well-established decision: ecomapping is an easy, creative and systematic method of obtaining environmental data. All companies need to have for successful implementation is blueprints (eco-maps) of the site, a red pen and some time. It produces results after 1-2 days of work.
Ecomapping is a creative process of scanning environmental impacts, problems and practice in SMEs of all kinds, but mainly for those in the production and service sectors.  It is a participatory process of learning and gathering systematically useful environmental information within the physical reality of the shop floor and not only from books. It requires basically only observation, judgement, communication, patience and very little documentation. It helps setting targets and monitoring progress in environmental performance as well as in the training and raising awareness of employer, managers and workers.
Different maps (water, energy, air, soil, noise, wastes) create a useful multi-layer set of graphical information and lead immediately to environmental action programs. The method is used already in a lot of countries and shall be disseminated and enhanced with more features to allow small SMEs to follow trends in the marketplace.
Ecomapping is a step by step process to gather useful information and to trigger off immediate environmental action. As 80% of environmental information is location based, Eco-maps on the shop floor are extremely useful. They show what has happened and where in terms of environmental protection. Ecomapping is a toolbox and its ten working steps are leading into - and enriching the next one. The Work is partly done in the office, mainly on the shop floor.  Ecomapping helps and assists in understanding environmental problems, material flows, opinions, facts and figures.

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